Parliamentary secretary Pierre Poilievre on Friday dared a Liberal MP to repeat his accusations of election spending offences against high-profile Tory MP Dean Del Mastro outside the House of Commons.

Del Mastro, who often defends the government on ethical questions, including the robocalls scandal, in his role as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is under investigation by Elections Canada for allegedly exceeding his spending and donation limit in the 2008 election, offences punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and up to five years in prison.

A sworn affidavit from an Elections Canada investigator claims Del Mastro’s 2008 election campaign in Peterborough filed a “false document” to the agency.

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“The Prime Minister and his parliamentary secretary can no longer fabricate spin around the facts that serious Elections Canada rules have been broken,” said Liberal MP Scott Andrews in Question Period on Friday.

“The facts are the member was responsible for filing forged documents. The member took steps to hide the truth about his spending limit.”

Andrews’ statement was met with calls from the Tories to “take it outside.”

“Well will. We’ll take it outside,” Andrews said. “This is a serious issue and the government’s response should be as serious. I ask the Prime Minister: will he act immediately and remove [Del Mastro]?”

Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Dean Del Mastro.

Poilievre accused Andrews of abusing parliamentary privilege to make slanderous statements, something that gives MPs legal immunity for what they say in the House.

“For a lot of people watching, they may not realize that parliamentary privilege protects this member so he can say anything he wants without ever having to prove it. He can disparage anybody’s reputation and he never has to back up any of his allegations with facts,” Poilievre said.

“That’s why I encourage him, if he has the integrity, if he has the courage. Take the exact statement that he just made, walk outside in front of the media and repeat those allegations, Mr. Speaker. I’ll bet he doesn’t do it.”

Del Mastro’s official agent, Richard McCarthy, is under investigation for allegedly accepting an illegal donation from the MP and knowingly filing a false return.

Neither man has been charged and both have stated publicly that their submissions to Elections Canada were complete and accurate.

The investigation relates to $21,000 paid to Holinshed Research Group, a now-defunct voter-contact company, allegedly for 630 hours of voter-identification and get-out-the-vote calls during the 2008 campaign.

The allegations are revealed in an Information to Obtain a production order, signed by Elections Canada investigator Thomas Ritchie, that compelled company president Frank Hall to produce the records.

The Conservative government has steadfastly refused to remove Del Mastro from his post as parliamentary secretary until the investigation is complete, despite repeated calls to do so from opposition parties.

Attendance at Question Period was sparse on Friday after a 24 hour amendment vote on the budget bill, but it didn’t stop the NDP from attacking the government over a letter sent to Parks Canada employees.

CBC obtained a copy of the letter, which informed employees they are not permitted to speak on social media or to journalists about the cuts to the agency, and that they have a duty to the elected government.

“I cut my mullet off a long time ago, so why are the Conservatives acting like it’s 1984?” said NDP MP Glenn Thibeault.

“Mr. Speaker, we’re talking about Parks Canada employees here, not one of their back-benchers. So why do the Conservative “thought police” think they can bully them into submission?”

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